Dio's Rome, Volume 6 - An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The - Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus - And Alexander Severus

Cassius Dio

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• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 22
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dio's Rome, Vol
VI., by Cassius Dio
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Title: Dio's Rome, Vol VI. An Historical Narrative
Originally Composed In Greek During The Reigns
Of Septimius Severus, Geta And Caracalla,
Macrinus, Elagabalus And Alexander Severus
Author: Cassius Dio
Release Date: April 16, 2004 [EBook #12061]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG
EBOOK DIO'S ROME, VOL VI. ***
Produced by Ted Garvin, Jayam Subramanian and
PG Distributed ProofreadersDIO'S ROME
AN
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE ORIGINALLY
COMPOSED IN GREEK DURING THE REIGNS
OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, GETA AND
CARACALLA, MACRINUS, ELAGABALUS AND
ALEXANDER SEVERUS:
AND
NOW PRESENTED IN ENGLISH FORM
BY
HERBERT BALDWIN FOSTER,
A.B. (Harvard), Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins), Acting Professor of Greek in Lehigh UniversitySIXTH VOLUME
I. Books 77-80 (A.D. 211-229).
II. Fragments of Books 1-21 (Melber's
Arrangement).
III. Glossary of Latin Terms.
IV. General Index.
1905
PAFRAETS BOOK COMPANY TROY NEW YORK
DIO'S ROMANHISTORY
77
Antoninus begins his reign by having various
persons assassinated, among them his brother
Geta (chapters 1-3).
Cruelty of Antoninus toward Papinianus, Cilo, and
others (chapters 4-6).
Antoninus as emulator of Alexander of Macedon
(chapters 7, 8).
His levies and extravagance (chapters 9-11).
His treachery toward Abgarus of Osrhoene, toward
the Armenian king, the Parthian king, and the
Germans (chapters 12, 13).
The Cenni conquer Antoninus in battle (chapter
14).
He strives to drive out his disease of mind by
consulting spirits and oracles (chapter 15).
Slaughter of vestals, insults to the senate, demise
of others contrary to his mother's wishes (chapters
16-18).
Antoninus's Parthian war (chapters 19-21).
Massacres of Alexandrians caused by Antoninus(chapters 22-24).
DURATION OF TIME.
Q. Epidius Rufus Lollianus Gentianus, Pomponius
Bassus (A.D. 211 = a. u. 964 = First of Antoninus,
from Feb. 4th).
C. Iulius Asper (II), C. Iulius Asper. (A.D. 212 =
a.u. 965 = Second of Antoninus.)
Antoninus Aug. (IV), D. Coelius Balbinus (II). (A.D.
213 = a.u. 966 =
Third of Antoninus.)
Silius Messala, Sabinus. (A.D. 214 = a.u. 967 =
Fourth of Antoninus.)
Lætus (II), Cerealis. (A.D. 215 = a.u. 968 = Fifth of
Antoninus.)
C. Attius Sabinus (II), Cornelius Annullinus. (A.D.
216 = a.u. 969 =
Sixth of Antoninus.)
(BOOK 78, BOISSEVAIN.)
[Sidenote: A.D. 211 (a.u. 964)] [Sidenote:—1—]
After this Antoninus secured the entire power.
Nominally he ruled with his brother, but in reality
alone and at once. With the enemy he came to
terms, withdrew from their country, and abandoned
the forts. But his own people he either dismissed(as Papinianus the prefect) or else killed (as
Euodus, his nurse, Castor, and his wife Plautilla,
and the latter's brother Plautius). In Rome itself he
also executed a man who was renowned for no
other reason than his profession, which made him
very conspicuous. This was Euprepes, the
charioteer; he killed him when the man dared to
show enthusiasm for a cause that the emperor
opposed. So Euprepes died in old age after having
been crowned in an endless number of horse-
races. He had won seven hundred and eighty-two
of them,—a record equaled by none other.
Antoninus had first had the desire to murder his
brother while his father was still alive, but had been
unable to do so at that time because of Severus,
or later, on the road, because of the legions. The
men felt very kindly toward the younger son,
especially because in appearance he was the very
image of his father. But when Antoninus arrived in
Rome, he got rid of this rival also. The two
pretended to love and commend each other, but
their actions proved quite the reverse to be true,
and anybody could see that some catastrophe
would result from their relations. This fact was
recognized even prior to their reaching Rome.
When it had been voted by the senate to sacrifice
in behalf of their harmony both to the other gods
and to Harmony herself, the assistants made ready
a victim to be sacrificed to Harmony and the consul
arrived to do the slaughtering; yet he could not find
them, nor could the assistants find the consul.
They spent nearly the whole night looking for each
other, so that the sacrifice could not be performedon that occasion. The next day two wolves climbed
the Capitol, but were chased away from that
region: one of them was next encountered
somewhere in the Forum, and the other was later
slain outside the pomerium. This is the story about
those two animals.
[Sidenote:—2—-] It was Antoninus's wish to
murder his brother at the Saturnalia, but he was
not able to carry out his intention. The danger had
already grown too evident to be concealed. As a
consequence, there were many violent meetings
between the two,—both feeling that they were
being plotted against,—and many precautionary
measures were taken on both sides. As many
soldiers and athletes, abroad and at home, day
and night, were guarding Geta, Antoninus
persuaded his mother to send for him and his
brother and have them come along to her house
with a view to being reconciled. Geta without
distrust went in with him. When they were well
inside, some centurions suborned by Antoninus
rushed in a body. Geta on seeing them had run to
his mother, and as he hung upon her neck and
clung to her bosom and breasts he was cut down,
bewailing his fate and crying out: "Mother that bore
me, mother that bore me, help! I am slain!!"
[Sidenote: A.D. 212 (a.u. 965)] Tricked in this way,
she beheld her son perishing by most unholy
violence in her very lap, and, as it were, received
his death into her womb whence she had borne
him. She was all covered with blood, so that she
made no account of the wound she had received inher hand. She might neither mourn nor weep for
her son, although, untimely he had met so
miserable an end (he was only twenty-two years
and nine months old): on the contrary, she was
compelled to rejoice and laugh as though enjoying
some great piece of luck. All her words, gestures,
and changes of color were watched with the
utmost narrowness. She alone, Augusta, wife of
the emperor, mother of emperors, was not
permitted to shed tears even in private over so
great a calamity.
[Sidenote:—3—] Antoninus, although it was
evening, took possession of the legions after
bawling all the way along the road that he had
been the object of a plot and was in danger. On
entering the fortifications, he exclaimed: "Rejoice,
fellow-soldiers, for now I have a chance to benefit
you!" Before they heard the whole story he had
stopped their mouths with so many and so great
promises that they could neither think nor speak
anything decent. "I am one of you," he said, "it is
on your account alone that I care to live, that so I
may afford you much happiness. All the treasuries
are yours." Indeed, he said this also: "I pray if
possible to live with you, but if not, at any rate to
die with you. I do not fear death in any form, and it
is my desire to end my days in warfare. There
should a man die, or nowhere!"
To the senate on the following day he made
various remarks and after rising from his seat he
went towards the door and said: "Listen to a great
announcement from me. That the whole world may